Will Smith Slaps Chris Rock At Oscars: Biggest Questions & What Next?

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Here's every major question surrounding Will Smith's Oscars slap on Chris Rock, and what repercussions may come as a result of the incident. On a night that contained the usual confusing snubs and shameless opulence, as well as a baffling performance of «We Don't Talk About Bruno,» the 2022 Oscars ceremony will inevitably be remembered for the 30 seconds where Will Smith took to the stage and slapped Chris Rock in response to a joke about the actor's wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith, before following up the assault with a verbal lashing from his seat in the crowd.

Controversy is abound, discussion is abundant, and Hollywood is still reeling from a sight that has completely overshadowed the event's main festivities. Will Smith picked up the Best Actor award for King Richard later in the evening, but there was little getting away from the earlier attack, and as the rest of the world wakes up to the Fresh Prince slapping a fellow actor on live TV, the story is bound to have further consequences — both for Smith himself, and an already-beleaguered Academy.

Related: Oscars 2022: Every Best Picture Nominee Ranked From Worst To Best

As the Smith family sits down for an awkward breakfast and Chris Rock holds an ice pack to his cheek, here's what we know about the Oscars' latest controversy, and what might happen as a result, from possible criminal charges to a Best Actor reversal.

The Oscars has infamously struggled for relevance and ratings of late, with 2021's ceremony drawing less than 10 million viewers for the very first time. Over the past 12 months, organizers have — according to various reports — been seeking ways to «shake-up» Hollywood's big night in a quest for ratings. So, when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock live on stage,